Middlesex Hospital Board of Directors

The Middlesex Hospital Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for implementation of the mission and the governance of the Middlesex Health System.

Specific responsibilities of the Board include overseeing the organization, maintaining the fiscal standards of the System, spearheading quality improvement initiatives and fund raising efforts, leading the System’s management group, granting Medical Staff privileges and more.

The Board of Directors is comprised of a number of multi-talented individuals, each with a unique skill set that enhances the capabilities of the Board as a whole. Those skills include a history of achievement, ability to work in a team-oriented environment, philanthropy and governance experience and a receptiveness to training.

In addition, the individual Board members present a number of outstanding personal characteristics including integrity, intelligence, compassion, independence and objectivity.

Directors of Middlesex Health System, Inc. (“System”) are elected by the corporators (members) at the annual meeting generally held each year in October. The System, as sole member of the Hospital, in turn elects as Directors of the Hospital, the Directors of the System. Directorships are staggered such that the terms of approximately one-third of all directors expire each year. An executive search firm has been retained to assist in identifying appropriate Board members. Selection criteria, evaluation criteria, continuing education mandates and term limits has resulted in a Board composed of an outstanding group of business and community leaders who have fostered a quest for excellence by the Hospital.

The Board of Directors consists of 12 elected and 1 ex-officio member. The professional background of the members is broad and includes banking, community service, education, insurance, manufacturing, medicine and business.

The Middlesex Health System Board of Directors include:

Gary K. Willis, Chairman

Mr. Willis joined the Middlesex Health System and Middlesex Hospital Board of Directors in 1996. He is the retired President and CEO of ZYGO Corporation. He is currently a director of Zygo Corporation, Plug Power and Rofin-Sinar Technologies, Inc., which are all public companies listed on NASDAQ.

Mr. Willis is currently Chairman of the Middlesex Health System, Middlesex Hospital and Middlesex Hospital Foundation Boards, as well as the Health System's Governance Committee. He currently serves as a member of the Health System's Executive Compensation, Investment and Joint Conference Committees. Additionally, he is the former Chairman of Middlesex Health Services, Inc. and a former member of the Hospital's Quality Improvement Committee.

David A. Baggish, M.D.

Dr. Baggish joined the Middlesex Health System Board of Directors in 1998 and is now the Board’s Secretary. He is Chair of the Department of Medicine at Middlesex Hospital. Dr. Baggish is a Fellow of both the American College of Physicians and the American College of Nephrology. He is a member of the Investment Committee, Finance Committee, and Quality Improvement Committee. He is Secretary of both Middlesex Health Services, Inc. and Middlesex Health Resources, Inc. Dr. Baggish was also president of the Medical Staff from 1995-1997.

Gregory B. Butler

Mr. Butler is Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Northeast Utilities system (NU), where he is responsible for Legal, Governmental and Regulatory Affairs, and Communications.

Mr. Butler earned his bachelor’s degree in history from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and a doctor of jurisprudence degree from the Albany Law School of Union University.

Prior to coming to NU, he was vice president of Federal Affairs at New England Electric System and senior counsel for Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation. He was also a senior attorney with the United States Department of Justice and an associate counsel to the Minority Leader for the New York State Assembly.

Jean M. D’Aquila, Esq.

Jean D’Aquila has been a member of the Connecticut Bar since 1984 and maintains a law practice in Middletown. She is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. Attorney D'Aquila's practice concentrates in municipal law, land use, residential real estate acquisition and conveyances and estate planning and administration. She has served as Town Attorney to numerous Connecticut municipalities during her almost 30 years in the private practice of law. She has argued cases before the Superior, Appellate and Connecticut Supreme Courts.

Attorney D'Aquila's current professional affiliations include: the Connecticut Bar Association; Middlesex County Bar Association; Director and Treasurer of the Guild of Catholic Lawyers of the Diocese of Norwich; Attorney Trial Referee for the Superior Court for the Judicial District of Middlesex; Fact Finder and Arbitrator for the Superior Court for the Judicial District of Middlesex. She also serves as a director with Liberty Bank, Cooper-Atkins Corporation and Middlesex United Way, Inc. In addition, she is involved in numerous volunteer activities throughout the community.

In 2009, she was recognized by Super Lawyers magazine as one of the top attorneys in New England in the practice of land use/zoning. In May 2010, Attorney D’Aquila was recognized by Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition as one of the top attorneys in Connecticut in the practice of land/use zoning.

She lives in Amston and joined the Middlesex Health System Board in 2014.

Geoffrey E. Herter, M.D.

Dr. Herter joined the Middlesex Health System Board of Directors in 2005. He is a urologist with Middlesex Urology and was Vice President of the Medical Staff from 1997-1999, and President of the Medical Staff from 1999-2003. Dr. Herter is a member of the Patient Safety Committee.

Chandler J. Howard

Chandler Howard became president and chief executive officer of Liberty Bank in 2007. Prior to joining Liberty Bank, he was president and CEO of First City Fund Corp., a community foundation in New Haven. Howard previously headed up Bank of America in Connecticut. He has over 30 years of experience in the field of banking. A Vietnam veteran, Howard earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree in finance from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is a member of the Finance Committee and the Investment Committee.

Hugh C. MacKenzie

Mr. MacKenzie joined the Middlesex Health System Board of Directors in 1995. He is the retired President of the Retail Business Group of the Northeast Utilities System, as well as the retired President of the Connecticut Light and Power Company and the Western Massachusetts Electric Company. Mr. MacKenzie was a member of the Board of the Capital Region United Way, past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Metro Hartford Regional Economic Alliance and a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum. He is also Chairman of the Finance Committee and a member of the Governance Committee, Executive Compensation Committee and the Joint Conference Committee.

Bruce S. MacMillian

Mr. MacMillian is President & CEO of MacMillian Investments. He has 40-plus years of business experience in a Fortune 500 company setting, as President of Travelers’ International Operations. He also has experience in the small business environment, most recently as President & CEO of CEU.com, a company he sold in December of 2009. Mr. MacMillian has been a Corporator of Middlesex Health System since 1992 and joined the Board of Directors in 2005. He is Chair of the Finance Committee and a member of the Governance Committee, Audit Committee, Joint Conference Committee and the Executive Compensation Committee.

Gerry Migliaccio

Mr. Migliaccio is retired from Pfizer, after a 33-year career that he began with the company in 1979 as a staff chemist. Mr. Migliaccio gained increasing responsibility with the company’s production and quality control function during the 1980s, handling many regulatory aspects with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. His broad leadership role continued to expand and from 2005 to 2009, Mr. Migliaccio served as Senior Vice President, Global Quality and EHS Operations, which included 100 manufacturing sites and approximately 5,000 employees. Post-retirement, he continues to consult with various organizations, including assisting the FDA in its policy development.

Darrell G. Pataska

Mr. Pataska joined the Board in 2015. He is a retired partner of BlumShapiro’s Accounting and Auditing Group, with four decades of professional experience in internal audit projects, operational auditing and corporate compliance work. He was also a member of the Process and Controls Consulting Group there, and performed audit, accounting, internal controls reviews and special projects for clients. As a senior partner in BlumShapiro’s Healthcare Services Group, Mr. Pataska served an industry in which he had specialized throughout his career. Prior to joining BlumShapiro, he served as Partner-in-Charge of Arthur Andersen’s New England Healthcare and Long-Term Care Practice and as a member of the firm’s National Healthcare Practice Operating Committee. Mr. Pataska was lead partner of the Healthcare Services Group from 2002 through 2013. In addition, while at Arthur Andersen, he had extensive experience as the Assurance Practice Leader. In this role, he was responsible for recruiting and training, client service and overall management of 150 accounting and auditing personnel. Mr. Pataska holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business Administration, and is a member of numerous professional organizations and boards. He lives in Old Saybrook.

John W. Rafal, J.D.

Mr. Rafal served on the Hospital Board from 2000 until 2003 and rejoined in 2007. He is the Founder and Vice Chair of Essex Financial Services. Mr. Rafal has more than 30 years of experience in financial advisory services and has received numerous industry awards in the field of investment management. Mr. Rafal was named the #1 Independent Financial Advisor in the country by Barron’s Magazine for 2007 and 2008, and he was named as one of “The Best 100 Financial Advisers” in the United States by Barron’s Magazine in 2004-2011. He is a member of the Connecticut and American Bar Associations, the Financial Planning Association, and is a Registered Securities Principal. Mr. Rafal also serves as a Board member of the Essex Savings Bank, The UConn Foundation and The Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center, Inc. He is a past member of the Board of the Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra and The Cove. He is also a Chairman of the MHS Investment Committee.

R. Christopher Seaton

He is responsible for leading significant Business Development transactions in Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and providing transaction support to the US Regional organization of Bayer Pharmaceuticals AG, including licensing, product acquisition, divestitures and out-licensing. Mr. Seaton is based in the United States with direct reports in the USA and Germany.

Mr. Seaton earned both his Masters of Business Administration and his undergraduate degree from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

He is the Chairman of the Governance Committee, and a member of the Executive Compensation Committee, and the Joint Conference Committee.

Eric W. Thornburg, Vice Chairman

Mr. Thornburg joined the Middlesex Health System Board in 2010. He is president and CEO of Connecticut Water Service, Inc. in Clinton, the largest domestic investor-owned utility in New England. Mr. Thornburg currently serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors for the National Association of Water Companies, based in Washington, D.C. Mr. Thornburg has been active with many community service and business organizations including Water for People, Habitat for Humanity and the Rotary Club. He is Chair of the Audit Committee, and a member of the Governance Committee, Finance Committee, Executive Compensation Committee, Joint Conference Committee and Patient Safety Committee.

Carol P. Wallace

Ms. Wallace is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cooper-Atkins Corporation, a leading manufacturer of temperature, time and humidity instruments for global food service, health care, HVAC/R and industrial and OEM markets. Prior to joining Cooper-Atkins Corporation in 1991 as Director of Planning, she spent 12 years in the manufacturing field. She serves on the Boards of Directors of Connecticut Water Service, Inc., Zygo Corporation, Sandstone Group, LLC and The Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. Ms. Wallace is also involved in numerous volunteer initiatives throughout Connecticut and serves on several advisory committees. She is a graduate of Middlebury College in Vermont.